Batting star Taylor sets up third win

KINGSTON (CMC):

Stafanie Taylor continued in her rich vein of form, leading hosts Jamaica to their third straight victory in the Regional Women's Twenty20 Tournament, when they strolled past Guyana by 23 runs yesterday.

But crucial batting from Kycia Knight and Danielle Small allowed Barbados to send a ripple through the tournament with a five-wicket victory over Trinidad & Tobago, one of the favourites, in a tense, last-ball finish in the third round of matches.

Grenada captain Afy Fletcher also weighed-in with a vital knock, leading the Spice Girls to their first victory of the tournament, a three-wicket win over St Lucia before Samantha Lynch too, set St Vincent & the Grenadines up for a 50-run victory over Dominica.

Taylor, the undisputed World No. 1 women's player, struck eight fours in the top score of 49 from 40 balls, anchoring Jamaica to 109 for five from their 50 overs, after they chose to bat in the afternoon match at Chedwin Park.

She shared 85 for the first wicket with Jodi-Ann Morgan before her fellow opener retired hurt, triggering a batting slump that saw Jamaica adding just nine runs inside the last five overs, when they also lost five wickets.

Morgan made 33 from 43 balls before being stricken with cramps, allowing Tremayne Smartt to finish as the most successful Guyana bowler with 3-21 from four overs and Joann Vansertima with 2-21 from her four overs.

Vanessa Watts and Chadean Nation grabbed early scalps for Jamaica, but Guyana captain June Ogle anchored her side's batting with 36 from 55 balls without ever taking full control.

Shanel Daley put the brakes on a late charge from the Guyanese with 2-16 from her four overs.

Vital victory

In the morning match, Shaquana Quintyne formalised a vital victory for the Barbadians, when she smashed the final ball from world-rated West Indies Women's off-spinner Anisa Mohammed to long-off for four.

Chasing 120 for victory, the Barbadians stumbled to 113 for five in the final over, following steady batting from Knight and Small that put them within reach of the target.

Knight hit two fours and one six in 42 from 38 balls and Small gathered 30 from 42 balls that included two boundaries. They added 42 for the second wicket that put the Barbadians on track.

Small fell from the last of the 15th over to Mohammed before Knight departed from the final ball of 19th over with nine needed and Barbados captain Shakera Selman fell to the second ball of the final over with seven required.

Mohammed ended with 2-21 from her four overs and Kirbyina Alexander finished with 2-26 from four overs.